Cage gate latch

ABSTRACT

An integrally formed cage gate latch is provided having a unitary flat spring body structure with a serpentine S configuration. The convolutions of the cage gate latch form wire engaging loop portions which are adapted to make snap lock engagement with selected wires of cage and gate structures which are in close parallel register so as to maintain the gate in its closed position on a cage.

United States Patent [191 Pigorsh [4 1 Oct. 14, 1975 CAGE GATE LATCH [75] Inventor: Walter Michael Pigorsh, Pierson,

I Mich.

[73] Assignee: Kitson Poultry Equipment Co.,

Morley, Mich.

[22] Filed: Apr. 22, 1974 [2]] Appl. No. 462,600

[52] U.S. Cl. 292/258 [51] Int. Cl B65d 45/30 [58] Field of Search 24/81 CC, 68 CT, 68 CD,

24/69 R, 73 HH, 73 TH; 292/258, 288, 87,

DIG. 38, 241

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,049 7/1938 Battista et a]. 24/73 HH 3/1939 Cassileth 292/288 l/l970 Di Pierro et al. 292/113 X Primary ExaminerH. Hampton Hunter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Miller, Morriss, Pappas & McLeod [5 7] ABSTRACT An integrally formed cage gate latch is provided having a unitary flat spring body structure with a serpentine S configuration. The convolutions of the cage gate latch form wire engaging loop portions which are adapted to make snap lock engagement with selected wires of cage and gate structures which are in close parallel-register so as to maintain the gate in its closed position on a cage.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 012 3,912,313

FIGS

US. atent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet20f2 3,912,313

CAGE GATE LATCH SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cage gate latch comprising a unitary flat spring structure having an effective body portion which has a serpentine S configuration. The convolutions formed by the serpentine S configuration close toward the terminal ends of the cage gate latch so as to form wire engaging loops which are adapted to make simultaneous snap retentive engagement with cage and cage gate wires which are in close parallel register with each other when the gate is in its closed position on a cage.

The body portion defines openings of the loop portions, each of which are narrower than the internal diameter of its respective loop portion. The cage latch structure is provided with oppositely extending end portions or terminal extensions. At least one of the end portions extends beyond the body portion thereof. Otherwise stated, at least one of the terminal extensions is a tangential integral projection longer than the convolutions of the body portion. The extended end portion or terminal extension acts as a handle or lever against which pressure is exerted so as to rotate the latch into snap engagement with the parallel wires of the cage and cage gate members.

In summary, the cage gate latch structure consists of a unitary flat spring element which is configured to make rotative snap engagement with parallel registering filamentary elements so as to retain them in fixed close proximity to each other.

PRIOR ART The use of latches, clasps and clamps to retain doors, windows and gates in their closed position is well known in the prior art. Representative of such prior art structures are US. Pat. Nos. 3,499,674; 3,490,805; 3,195,505; 3,152,823; 2,693,786; 2,539,024; 1,860,910 and 1,825,540. In general, the structures of the prior art comprise looped latch members or various types of spring-biased latches which are configured to effect closure of gates, windows or doors. Generally, the devices of the prior art consist of two part structures which co-act to provide a locking action.

Nowhere in the prior art devices is there shown a cage gate latch member such as the present invention wherein a unitary flat spring structure is provided having a serpentine S configuration which is adapted to make rotative snap retentive engagement with cage and cage gate wires in parallel registry so as to retain them in close proximity to each other.

Nowhere in the prior art devices is there shown a cage gate latch member such as the present invention wherein an independent unitary structure is provided having a serpentine S configuration which is adapted to make snap rotative engagement with wires in parallel registry so as to retain fixed close proximity to each other but which is not anchored thereto or does not coact with ancillary members to effect such retention.

OBJECTS It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a unitary cage gate latch member which is configured to make rotative snap engagement with parallel registering filamentary elements so as to selectively secure them in close proximity to each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary resilient cage gate latch member having a serpentine S configuration wherein the convolutions thereof form wire engaging loop portions which are adapted to make spring snap engagement with parallel registering wire elements so as to secure them in fixed close proximity with each other.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a unitary cage gate latch member for securing parallel registering wires in fixed close proximity with each other without being fixedly anchored thereto or coacting with ancillary support members.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a resilient cage gate latch member which is easily and economically fabricated and which is easily placed and maintained in its operative use position by the snap engagement with the parallel registering wires being secured thereby.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cage gate latch member which can be easily installed into or removed from its operative use position without fixed attachment to one or both of the structures being secured or held together.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cage gate latch member which secures parallel registering wires in a positive fixed locked relationship to each other by rotative snap engagement therewith.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cage gate latch member for securing parallel registering wires in a fixed locked relationship to each other and which easily releases the wires from each other by a rotative snap disengagement from at least one of the wires.

Other objects and advantages found in the construction of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cage gate latch member and showing in phantom line parallel registering wire elements secured thereby.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cage gate latch member.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the latch member.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the latch member.

FIG. 5 is perspective view of a portion of a cage showing the cage gate in an open position with the latch member mounted thereon.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of the cage with the gate closed and the latch in its operative use position securing the gate in its closed position.

FIG. 7 is a schematic step-by-step view of the cage gate latch being moved into its operative use position securing two parallel registering wire elements in fixed proximity to each other.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION In general, a resilient unitary cage gate latch structure is provided for easily and quickly securing a cage gate in its closed position. The cage latch member consists ofa flat spring structure having a serpentine S configuration wherein the convolutions thereof close toward the terminal ends of the cage gate latch so as to form wire engaging loops which are adapted to make snap retentive engagement with parallel registering wire elements.

cage wire element proximate thereto and which defines the opening covered by the gate member. The serpentine S spring-like configuration of the cage gate latch member provides an over-center locking action which secures the parallel registering wires in a fixed proximate relationship with each other so as to positively hold the cage gate member in its closed position.

The gate member can be easily opened by reverse rotation of the cage gate latch about the gate member wire element upon which it is mounted. By this reverse rotative movement, the cage gate latch member is disengaged from the parallel registering wire element proximate thereto. If desired, the cage gate latch member can be removed from the gate member by making snap disengagement thereof from the gate member wire element upon which it is mounted.

Thus, a simple unitary cage gate latch member is provided which is adapted for easy and quick selective snap engagement upon parallel registering wires so as to secure such wires in a fixed locked relationship to each other.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION More specifically, the preferred embodiment of the cage gate latch member 11 is schematically shown in FIG. 1 in its operative u'se position securing parallel registering wir'e elements 12 and 13 (shown in phantom line) in a fixed locked relationship to each other. The cage gate latch member 11 is formed by extruding a plastic material into the serpentine S configuration as shown. Other materials such as sheet metal, spring steel, fiberglass can be utilized to form the latch 11 as desired.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cage gate latch member 11 is provided with an elongate terminal end gripping or handle portion 14 and a short terminal end portion 15. The convolutions l6 and 17 formed by the serpentine S configuration close toward the terminal ends 14 and 15, respectively, so as to form wire engaging loops 18 and 19, respectively. It should be noted that the serpentine S configuration of the latch 11 is such that the outer surface of convolution 16 proximate to the terminal end at point A closes toward the terminal end 15 to the'extent that the distance therebetween is less than the diameter of the wire 12 that is to be retained in loop 19. The same relationship exists at point B with respect to convolution 17, terminal end 14 and loop 18 in relation to wire 13. This configuration permits snap engagement and retention of wires 12 and 13 within loops l9 and 18, respectively.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are end and bottom views, respectively, of the cage gate latch member 11.

A portion of a typical poultry cage member 20 is shown in FIG. 5 with a gate 21 in an open position. The cage gate latch member 11 is shown mounted in snap engagement upon the outer end wire element 12 of the gate 21. The wire 12 is positioned in loop 19 formed by convolution l7. Thegate 21 is shown in its closed position in FIG. 6 so that the gate wire element 12 is in close parallel register with cage wire element 13 which defines a portion of the opening covered by gate 21.

The cage gate latch member 11 is shown in operative use position in FIG. 6 securing the parallel registering wires 12 and 13 on a fixed locked proximate relationship with each other. With the cage gate latch member 11 in this position, the gate 21 cannot be inadvertently or intentionally opened by pressure or activity thereagainst from inside or outside the cage. Further, accidental bumping cannot disengage or otherwise remove the cage gate member 11. As will be described hereinafter, a rotary movement is required to engage or disengage the latch member 11 from the wires 12 and 13.

The rotary movement of the cage gate latch 11 during snap engagement into its operative use lock position is shown schematically in FIG. 7. The gate wire 12 is shown in its parallel registering position proximate to the cage wire 13. This is the position that the wires 12 .and 13 are when the gate 21 is closed.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the latch 11 is mounted on cage gate 2l with wire ,12 mounted within loop 19. Pressure is exerted on the terminal end 14 in the direction shownby the arrow so as to begin a rotary movement of the latch 11 about gate wire 12. In FIG. 7(b), the terminal end 14 is within the cage 20 and is moving around toward engagement with cage wire 13. In FIG. 7(c), the cage wire 13 is in contact with the latch 11. As the latch 11 continues its rotary movement, the wire 13 will move through the constriction at point B and make snap engagement into its final operative use position within loop 18 as shown in FIG. 7(d). In this position, the terminal end 14 is extended outside of the cage 20 and thus cannot be acted on by animals contained in the cage 20.

It should be noted that in the position of the latch 11 shown in FIG. 7(d), an over-center lock condition exists between the latch 11 and the wires 12 and 13 secured thereby so that the latch 11 will not move from this position until an opposite clockwise pressure is exerted against the terminal end 14. In order to open gate 21, the latch 11 is disengaged from wire 13 by exerting an opposite pressure against the terminal end 14 so as to rotate the latch 14 in the opposite direction.

It is thus seen that a highly utilitarian cage gate latch 11, which is economically and easily fabricated, is provided which can be easily placed in snap engagement with parallel registering wires so as to secure them in a fixed locked relationship relative to each other.

This unique latch 11 can be easily placed into, retained and removed from its operative use position without the need for ancillary connection means or permanent attachment to the cage or gate member.

It is thus seen that the cage gate latch member embodied in this invention is not found in the prior known art and meets a need hitherto not met by the devices of the prior known art.

Various modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the principle thereof. Each of these modifications is to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims unless these claims by their language expressly provide otherwise.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim the following:

1. A gate latch for securing a pair of wires in a fixed parallel spaced-apart register with each other, the combination comprising:

a unitary flat spring element having a body portion of serpentine S configuration so as to define a first loop portion and an oppositely opening second loop portion spaced laterally from said first loop loop portion causes the said second loop portion to portion, said second loop portion having a terminal make overcenter locking snap engagement with a end actuating handle portion extending therefrom, second wire element in close parallel spaced-apart said body portion further defining narrow openings register with said first wire element. to said loop portions which are adapted to make 5 2. In the gate latch of claim 1 wherein the flat spring snap engagement with parallel registering wire eleelement is provided with oppositely extending end porments, said loop portions being in close abutting tions, one of said end portions extending beyond said relationship so that rotation of said spring element body portion. around a first wire element positioned in said first 

1. A gate latch for securing a pair of wires in a fixed parallel spaced-apart register with each other, the combination comprising: a unitary flat spring element having a body portion of serpentine S configuration so as to define a first loop portion and an oppositely opening second loop portion spaced laterally from said first loop portion, said second loop portion having a terminal end actuating handle portion extending therefrom, said body portion further defining narrow openings to said loop portions which are adapted to make snap engagement with parallel registering wire elements, said loop portions being in close abutting relationship so that rotation of said spring element around a first wire element positioned in said first loop portion causes the said second loop portion to make overcenter locking snap engagement with a second wire element in close parallel spaced-apart register with said first wire element.
 2. In the gate latch of claim 1 wherein the flat spring element is provided with oppositely extending end portions, one of said end portions extending beyond said body portion. 